Sandra Thomas has moved to the Ernakulam Sub Court challenging the rejection of her nomination for the upcoming elections of the Kerala Film Producers Association (KFPA). The move comes a day after both her nomination papers, for the posts of President and Treasurer, were rejected by the Returning Officer on grounds of ineligibility.
According to KFPA rules, candidates must furnish three censor certificates in their own name to contest key posts. Sandra submitted two certificates under her independent banner, Sandra Thomas Productions, and one from her earlier partnership, Friday Film House. The Returning Officer deemed these insufficient, arguing that they do not establish her individual eligibility.
In her petition, Sandra contends that she does possess more than three valid censor certificates with her name, and that the rejection violates the association’s own bylaws. She has sought an immediate stay on the rejection of her nomination and questioned the neutrality of the Returning Officer. The petition also challenges the appointment of the same individual as Returning Officer for over two decades, calling it a breach of the KFPA’s constitution and a move that undermines the democratic process.
Sandra has alleged that her nomination was scrutinised selectively and rejected with bias. “No other candidate’s documents were questioned in this manner. The Returning Officer had clearly made up his mind,” she said following the incident. A verbal dispute reportedly broke out during the scrutiny process. KFPA office-bearers, meanwhile, maintain that the rules are clear and uniformly applied. “Every election requires a Returning Officer. Sandra’s remarks reflect a lack of procedural understanding,” said a senior association member.
The legal challenge marks the latest development in Sandra’s ongoing tussle with the KFPA. She was expelled from the association in November 2024 for alleged indiscipline, though the court later stayed the decision. Her current bid to contest was widely seen as an attempt to take on the long-standing leadership. The KFPA elections are scheduled to be held on August 14.
Sandra was one of the founding partners of Friday Film House, which she co-owned with actor Vijay Babu. Following a public fallout with Vijay in 2017, she stepped away from the company and launched her own banner, Sandra Thomas Productions, under which she has produced Nalla Nilavulla Rathri (2023) and Little Hearts (2024).
